Winter Vegetable Gratin with Gruyere (Printable Version)
A golden casserole of root vegetables, cream, and Gruyere cheese, topped with aromatic thyme.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
02 - 2 medium parsnips, peeled and thinly sliced
03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
04 - 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced
05 - 1 small onion, thinly sliced
→ Dairy
06 - 2 cups Gruyere cheese, grated
07 - 1 cup heavy cream
08 - 1 cup whole milk
09 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
→ Herbs & Seasonings
10 - 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
11 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
→ Others
14 - 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Generously grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter.
02 - Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sliced onions; sauté until softened and fragrant, approximately 3 minutes.
03 - Pour in the heavy cream, whole milk, fresh thyme, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Stir gently and heat the mixture until just steaming, then remove from heat immediately.
04 - Arrange half of the sliced potatoes, parsnips, carrots, and squash in the bottom of the prepared dish. Season the layer lightly with salt and pepper.
05 - Sprinkle half of the grated Gruyere cheese evenly over the first layer of vegetables.
06 - Add the remaining vegetables in a second layer, followed by the remaining Gruyere cheese.
07 - Pour the warm cream mixture evenly over the entire dish, ensuring the liquid penetrates the layers.
08 - If desired, sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over the top of the gratin for a crispy crust.
09 - Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the vegetables are tender.
10 - Allow the gratin to rest for 10 minutes before serving to set the structure. Garnish with extra fresh thyme leaves.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The cheese crust gets shatteringly crisp while the vegetables underneath stay creamy and tender, which feels like two dishes in one.
- It comes together faster than you'd expect and actually tastes better when you let it rest, so you can pour yourself a drink while dinner sits.
02 -
- Slice your vegetables consistently, or you'll end up with some burnt and crispy while others are still firm—a mandoline or sharp knife makes this foolproof.
- Don't skip letting the cream mixture steam; heating it helps the thyme release all its flavor, and it also means the oven doesn't have to work as hard to bake everything through.
03 -
- Let your cream mixture cool slightly before pouring it over raw vegetables, which helps ensure even cooking and prevents the bottom layers from turning to mush.
- If your top isn't browning enough after the foil comes off, bump the oven up to 400°F for the last five minutes—it'll catch up fast.